Salvia ‘Santa Barbara’ for Fall Color

August 30, 2017 | By webadmin

Often forgotten, but always fabulous, Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara' is a Texas Tough perennial that brings flower color to the garden in fall, when many other summer-flowering plants have run their course.

A compact cousin of the much taller and floppier species of Mexican Bush Sage, 'Santa Barbara' forms tidy mounds of lush silver-blue foliage, topped with rich violet flower spikes. At maturity plants reach about 2 1/2 feet tall and wide. Silver stems offer up beautiful contrast to the foliage and flowers. The compact size of 'Santa Barbara' makes it the perfect perennial to tuck into street-side plantings or containers to give your garden a boost of fall color.  Mix it with cool season annuals or spring and summer color.

Plants are cold hardy and will return the following spring and summer, then bloom again the following fall. One established 'Santa Barbara' has low- to moderate water needs. Plants do best when planted in full-sun conditions. If you're looking for something more unusual that will take the tough Texas weather in stride, be sure to plant Salvia 'Santa Barbara' this fall!